Tuesday
PRaP 1/3/2012
This was a PRaP written 4 years ago and is still pertinent today. Just change the dates and you are good to go.
Thursday
PRaP 1/3/08
“Have You Made Your New Years Restitution?”
What is this guy talking about? Doesn’t he mean “Resolution”? Nope I mean “Restitution”. The law of restitution is the law of gains-based recovery. It is to be contrasted with the law of compensation, which is the law of loss-based recovery.
If you set a New Years Resolution the likelihood of you actually following through was well 1 in a million. I know there are some of you over achievers out there that nailed it but the majority failed in the first quarter. Now rather than making a new resolution it is now restitution because of the failure of the previous year.
The number one new years restitution is getting in shape and losing weight. We set these unrealistic goals for ourselves and setup to fail in three months. Well it is time to stop the madness and quit making New Years Restitution and make some realistic “Resolutions”. Now in contrast to Biblical knowledge a resolution is a fast from something and when we fast it is because we are seeking spiritual wisdom on something. Well those of us that have a few pounds to lose would be seeking wisdom in how not to eat so much or how to safely exercise without hurting our bodies further. Thing is we have to do it in small chunks and then build up from those. Set small easy to attain goals for the first three months of the year and then gradually add a little more and you will find that you will not be making restitution for a failure in 2009.
There are 14 scriptures in the NIV that are related to “restitution” in which all are in the Old Testament, and NONE for “resolution”. Now there’s something to think about. If you look up “fast” or “fasting” there are 47 results which some will be just the word fast as in moving fast but the majority of them are on the fasting we are looking for. Here are the scriptures for today taken from Matthew 6:
Fasting
16″When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Treasures in Heaven
19″Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22″The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24″No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Do Not Worry
25″Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
28″And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Key Verse:
Matthew 6:16
[ Fasting ] “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
Matthew 6:15-17 (in Context) Matthew 6 (Whole Chapter)
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PEACE and AGAPE LOVE, Pastor, Dad, DJ Dude
From The Desk Of:
Pastor Stephen Eldridge
c2C http://www.c2cministry.org
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Matthew 7:7-8
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